Angel on a Mission

Chapter 28

Gabrielle's POV

I took a delicate bite of my breakfast, relishing the rich flavors and textures as I turned my gaze toward Alexander, who was sitting across from me.

"How's the football team doing? Since you've been here for quite some time, I know you’ve missed a lot of practices. Have you missed any important events with the team?" I asked, genuinely curious about his sport that he always seemed so committed to.

Alexander glanced up from his plate, chewing thoughtfully for a moment before he replied.

"They’re fine. We don’t have any games at the moment and the team practices only thrice a week so I’m not missing a lot" he said, a hint of reassurance in his voice.

"The coach understands that I had something more pressing to take care of." He added.

I tilted my head inquisitively, intrigued by his interest in the sport.

"Did you always want to play football? Or was it initially just something you got into later on, perhaps out of curiosity or pure interest maybe?" I asked curiously.

He leaned back slightly in his chair as he looked at me.

“Why are you suddenly curious about football?” he asked me with a brow raised. I shrugged.

“I’m curious of your interest in it” I told him.

Alexander just looked at me for a moment.

"My dad used to play. He wanted me to follow in his footsteps but I liked doing basketball more so I didn’t do football until about Bella was 7” he admitted.

"What changed your mind?" I asked.

“Football was helping me more” he answered.

"Help you how?" I asked even more curiously.

He hesitated for just a second, weighing his words carefully before responding.

"I started training football seriously because I wanted to be strong enough to protect my sister and well, sisters when Brooke came along" he explained. I tilted my head to the side curiously.

“We found out that Bella was being bullied when she was in school. My parents tried to intervene by reporting to the school. The bullies didn’t stop and I confronted them. Long story short, I got beat” he said with a chuckle of disbelief.

“After that, I started training football with my dad because I knew that doing football would make me stronger. Strong enough that I can beat those bullies, and I can protect Bella better. I’d have a much better chance of keeping her safe from any potential dangers." He told me.

I blinked at him, momentarily taken aback by the depth of his response. The way he expressed it, so matter-of-factly, yet imbued with a sense of purpose and conviction, sent a wave of warmth through my chest.

"That’s... really admirable, Alexander. It's not often you meet someone who is willing to make that sacrifice and put in so much effort into wanting to protect their loved one." I told him.

“It’s what my sisters deserve” he said. I smiled and nodded in agreement.

“But that’s basically it” He shrugged, attempting to downplay the significance of his words, as if it were nothing out of the ordinary, but I could tell that this was a deeply personal matter for him.

Suddenly, Alexander shifted the focus back to me, his expression contemplative yet curious.

"What about you? Are you interested in any sports? You must have some preferences," he wondered, leaning forward slightly, showing genuine interest.

I let out a light chuckle, the sound drifting through the air.

"Not really. I mean, I find it fascinating how people can become so passionate about sports, devoting so much energy to their teams and athletic pursuits, but I don’t personally engage in playing any sports myself." I said.

Alexander looked at me curiously, his amusement evident in the way his eyes sparkled.

"So, you just sit on the sidelines, observing? A bystander to how things plays out for other people?” he said. I nodded, a grin spreading across my face.

"Exactly! I consider myself a professional spectator. I enjoy cheering for others and experiencing the thrill vicariously through them." I stated and he chuckled.

Before he could respond further to this lighthearted banter, the door swung open unexpectedly, and a nurse stepped into the room with a small tray filled with medication in her hands.

"Miss Elle, it’s time for your medicine," she announced, offering me a polite and professional smile that immediately put me at ease. She moved gracefully to my bedside while Alexander stepped to the side.

The nurse handed me a small cup containing pills along with a glass of water.

I took the medication without hesitation, swallowing down the pills swiftly before placing the glass back on the tray with a quiet clink that resonated in the otherwise calm atmosphere.

"Now, let’s check your wound," the nurse said, moving to unwrap the bandages that had been carefully applied around my injury. I braced myself for the brief moment of discomfort, inhaling deeply to steady my nerves.

As soon as she touched the wound, however, I winced slightly, forcing myself to bite down on the inside of my cheek to stifle any audible reaction.

"Can you be more careful," Alexander interjected sharply, his eyes narrowing as he directed his concern toward the nurse, his protective instincts flaring.

I quickly placed a reassuring hand on his arm, hoping to calm the situation.

"It’s okay, Alexander. It’s really not that bad," I told him, trying to ease his concern.

The nurse glanced back and forth between us for a brief moment before continuing her work with gentler, more deliberate hands.

After a few more moments of careful attention, she finished re-wrapping my bandages and straightened up, giving me a professional smile.

"May I ask when can I be discharged?" I inquired, my tone filled with hope, looking at her with keen anticipation, desperate to leave the hospital confines.

"I’ll have to consult the doctor responsible for your care," she replied, a note of professionalism in her voice.

"I’ll let you know as soon as I get an answer." With that, she offered a small nod and exited the room.

Once the door closed behind her, Alexander let out a deep sigh, rubbing his temples as if the entire situation was a source of frustration for him.

"You shouldn’t rush the process of getting discharged, you know. You have a serious injury. You need an ample enough time for healing and recovery” he said.

"I’ll be fine, Alexander. I just don’t want to stay in here longer than absolutely necessary when I can be recovering at home." I told him. Alexander sighed.

He gave me a pointed look, his expression revealing a blend of worry for my well-being and a hint of exasperation, but he chose not to argue further.

A few moments later, I felt a tingling feeling and when I did, the door burst open and I saw Art.

“Art” I muttered in surprise. He looked at me with a panicked and worried expression before rushing to my side.

"Gabrielle!" he exclaimed, striding over to my bedside with urgency. His eyes swiftly scanned over me, assessing my condition as if measuring every bruise and scrape, searching for any signs of distress.

I sighed softly, a mix of relief and exasperation flooding through me.

"I’m fine, Art. I really am," I said, trying to assuage his worries.

He crossed his arms, narrowing his eyes as he regarded me with a serious expression.

"You should have been more careful. What the hell happened?" he demanded, his concern seeping through his tone.

I glanced at Alexander, who had paused to observe the exchange.

"I’m sorry, Alex but can you please step out for a bit? I need to talk to Art alone," I requested, wishing to have some privacy for this conversation.

Alexander hesitated, casting a wary glance at Art before ultimately nodding and stepping out of the room with a frown, closing the door behind him with a soft click.

Once we had privacy, Art sat on the edge of my bed, his demeanor shifting to that of someone who was more concerned than angry.

"Let me see it," he urged, his voice softer now yet still firm.

I lifted my hospital gown just enough to reveal the wound, feeling a slight flutter of anxiety as I did so. He exhaled sharply, clearly taken aback by what he saw.

"Gabrielle. This is bad," he exclaimed, distress evident in his voice.

"I know," I replied quietly, trying to maintain my composure.

"But it’s not like I wanted or expected to get hurt, you know? Unfortunate things just... happened."

Art ran a hand through his hair, looking visibly frustrated yet also worried.

"I was on a different mission. I didn’t even find out about this until I returned today," he explained, the strain of his responsibility weighing heavily on him.

I offered him a small, reassuring smile to ease the tension between us.

"It’s okay, Art. I’m not your responsibility. It’s solely my fault that I got hurt” I said.

“But can you please try to heal it? I’m still too weak to heal myself and you have better healing powers than I do. That’s what you do best, after all." I said batting my eyelashes at him.

Art sighed heavily, his expression softening slightly at my encouragement.

"Not all at once. I can heal some of it now, but it’ll require a few sessions over the next few weeks to fully heal even with my healing powers. It takes more energy to heal a fellow angel than healing a human" he said, his eyes meeting mine with that familiar determination.

I nodded in understanding, knowing that the healing process would require patience.

"That works for me. I can wait and be patient. I have no complaints at all” I told him. Art nodded.

He placed a hand over my wound, his palm glowing faintly with a warm energy that felt soothing against my skin. A gentle, almost magical sensation spread through my body, and, to my relief, the pain dulled considerably, replaced instead with a warmth that filled me with comfort.

After a moment, he pulled his hand back, breath coming slightly heavier than before.

"That’s all I can do for now. With the amount of healing I did, you should be able to be discharged by tomorrow," he reassured, giving me a soft but serious look.

I smiled at him gratefully, my heart swelling with gratitude for his friendship.

"Thank you, Art. It means a lot. It really does." I thanked him.

Art took a deep breath, his eyes unwavering as he continued.

"Just be more careful next time. You really put everyone on edge when you pull stunts like this." He told me. I nodded earnestly, feeling a pang of guilt.

"I will. I promise." I assured him.

We talked for just a few more minutes and after that, Art stood up from the bed, preparing to leave as he still had other plans and responsibilities that he needed to attend to.

"I’ll see you next week for the next session. Try not to get into any more trouble before then, alright? I can’t have you getting hurt while you’re here." He said. I nodded.

As he turned to exit, Alexander stepped back into the room, his arms crossed, watching Art with an unreadable expression that was both curious and guarded.

Art caught his gaze, offering a nod of acknowledgment.

"Thanks for taking care of Elle, man," he said, his tone sincere and appreciative.

Alexander simply gave him a small nod in return, his demeanor remaining rather inscrutable, though there was something unreadable in his eyes that intrigued me.

After Art left and the room fell into a calm silence, I turned my focus back to Alexander.

"Hey. Thanks for giving us some privacy. I just needed to talk to Art about some things” I said, hoping to lighten his mood.

“Why is it that that friend of yours only turned up now? You’ve been confined for almost a full week now” he said.

“He was on a long-distance trip. He didn’t know what happened to me until today” I explained.

Alexander was quiet for a moment, his expression thoughtful as he contemplated my words before he finally spoke, his voice neutral yet tinged with curiosity.

"What kind of relationship do you and that guy have, exactly? You guys seem really close."

"Art and I? We’re really close. Almost like siblings in a way," I explained, trying to convey the depth of our bond.

His gaze held steady, probing for something deeper as he pressed on.

"And what do you think of him... romantically?" he said.

I let out a small laugh, shaking my head in amusement at the suggestion.

"I don’t see Art that way at all, and I never will. We’re more like family, not romantic partners in any way." I told him.

When I glanced at him again, I noticed a subtle shift in Alexander’s posture. It was as if a weight had been lifted off his shoulders at my response, a tension dissipating that I hadn’t even fully recognized was there.

I narrowed my eyes, intrigued by his reaction.

After a brief moment of silence, Alexander suddenly asked.

"Do you want to go outside and get some fresh air? I think it would do you some good." He suddenly asked.

I perked up immediately, my eyes lighting up with excitement at the thought.

"Really? Can I? Yes! I would love that!" I said excitedly.

Alexander chuckled at my enthusiastic reaction, clearly pleased to see me so animated.

"Alright, wait right here. I’ll go get a wheelchair." He said and stepped out.

Yes! I finally get to go out!

Alexander stepped out of the room and returned a few minutes later, pushing a wheelchair inside with a confident smile that brightened my spirits.

"Okay, let’s do this." He said.

With determination, I attempted to move out of bed on my own, feeling a surge of independence, but Alexander promptly stopped me with a firm yet gentle voice.

"Stay put," he commanded, leaving no room for argument in his tone.

Before I could protest or insist that I was capable of getting up myself, he swiftly and carefully slid one strong arm under my back and the other under my legs, lifting me with surprising ease. My breath caught in my throat unexpectedly, and I felt my face flush as I instinctively clung to his shirt for balance.

"A-Alexander! You didn’t have to—" I stammered, half-embarrassed but also grateful for his help.

"Just let me do this," he murmured softly, his tone reassuring as he gently placed me into the wheelchair. His touch was surprisingly delicate, as if he were afraid of unintentionally causing me any pain, and I couldn’t help but appreciate his care.

Once I was settled comfortably, he adjusted the footrests, ensuring I was secure before he began pushing the wheelchair out of the room and into the wider hospital corridor.

The moment we stepped outside of the building and into the warm embrace of the hospital garden, I let out a contented sigh, the sound escaping me effortlessly.

"Ah, this feels amazing. Finally" I exclaimed, genuinely thrilled to be outside.

The sunlight enveloped my skin in a gentle warmth, and the fresh breeze brushed past my cheeks like a welcome reprieve from the stale, sterile air inside the hospital. I took in the beautiful sight around me—flowers blooming vibrantly in the garden, their vivid colors standing out against the lush greenery of the plants.

I closed my eyes for a brief moment, letting the sounds of chirping birds and rustling leaves wash over me, truly soaking in the serenity of the environment.

Alexander remained quiet, observing me with an expression that was difficult to read, perhaps a blend of admiration and curiosity.

"You really like being outside, huh?" he commented, his tone soft and thoughtful.

I turned to him with a soft smile that I couldn’t suppress.

"Of course. It reminds me of freedom, you know? The outdoors has a way of making the world feel limitless." I told him.

He didn’t respond immediately, but I could sense the way his gaze lingered on me, as if he was studying me.

We spent a beautiful stretch of time outside, enjoying the serene and peaceful atmosphere enveloping us. Alexander continued to push my wheelchair around the garden, allowing me to admire the surrounding beauty while I inhaled the sweet, fragrant air.

Eventually, as the sun began its descent and the sky turned hues of orange and pink, we made our way back to my room.

Still, it was a really good stroll and I was very thankful. Especially for Alexander.